Love and War

Overheard in our living room recently:

T: I love you Asher.
A: I love you, too.

Not only is it fun that Asher can say, "I love you, too" but it is a nice respite from the opposite type of brotherly interaction that is often blaring from the living room. :)

Our New York Trip

Being back in Upstate New York was almost surreal for me! So beautiful and green. So many loved ones. And it holds my favorite place on earth: THE POND.

But first I had to survive the flight! Unfortunately Tim didn't get to join us on this trip, so I flew alone with the boys. It was a LONG day, with a few hectic moments, but the kids did great and God gave me grace in the little (but big) ways, like Asher taking a nap on the flight and Toby entertaining himself splendidly.

We started the fun by spending a few days with my college friend Jamie and her family in Ellicotville, NY. Watching our offspring play together was so special! Jamie has a fun home well equipped for active children. I enjoyed getting to know Jamie's husband Chris better and her two boys, Sam and Ben, were delightful. The boys played in the rocks, sprayed the hose, discovered a (harmless) snake, picked (and promptly ate) blueberries, played ball, ran around and were basically "all boy". One of the highlights for Toby was seeing the herd of buffalo that graze at a ranch up the road from Jamie's home!

Next we were off to Castile, NY! To see my Grandma DeGolyer, my very loved aunts and uncles, my cousins, and my cousin's children, including some little cuties I had never met before was WONDERFUL. And I couldn't hold back the tears when I saw Daniel and Giovy and my two beautiful nieces, Mia and Nai who arrived from Florida for the reunion. My family rented a six-bedroom farm just minutes from the family farm and pond. Being all together again was awesome.

It was a busy, but very special and fun time! Especially for Toby, ever the enthusiastic one, every day was an adventure. Playing with cousins upon cousins he didn't know he had, digging and splashing in the pond, riding the ferris wheel at the county fair, watching cows being milked, climbing up in to enormous tractors, picking sweet corn, seeing waterfalls at Letchworth State Park, playing miniature golf followed by a large ice-cream cone...he never wanted the trip to end and was a bit bummed to be back. Asher loved his baby cousin Nai, and also had a good time, but he was happiest when he was finally back to his dad and his home. What two different personalities these boys have!

Cousins! Asher, Nai, Tobiah, and Mia at Letchworth State Park.

Just missing Tim.


My Uncle Willard - Toby's new hero - and his oh-so-cool tractors. Toby was invited to help cut the hay!

Happy 8 Years to Us!